Pulp and waste removing and fiber cleaning machine.



Iafented' July 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. I uvz/mmf? w. s. GROVE.

PULP AND WASTE REIVIOVING AND FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I9. E914.

mum/Essig I, I d /w W. S. GROVE.

` PULP AND WASTE REMOVING AND FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED IAN. I9, 1914.

Pnlntd July D, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"Qfnoz E .w y 9 5 .3/5 90.5 tg; u

ff%%% l l ///f HUUR Ey w. s. GROVE.

PULP AND WASTE REIVIOVING AND FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F|LED JAN. I9, I9I4. l 191455,@15@ Patented July 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- j W L? II IIy MII! MLM nvm/TOR @WMM By /MQW /7//6 Amm/VHS VV. S. GROVE.

PULP AND WASTE REMOVING AND FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I9, I9I4.

Imented July 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. S. GROVE.

PULP AND WASTE HEMOVING AND FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I9, I9I4.

Izltoncd July (I, 1915.

*SHEET 5.

6 SHEETS f ...I R p= L NG MACHINE.

APPLICATION ILED1/N.l3,I.l-l.

lFiber-Cleaning Machines, of which machine for isolatin WINFIELD S. GVE, DE m PHILIUPPWEIMNDS.

PULP AND WASTE MOVING' Specification of Lettera Patent.

e amacananme ai- Patented July 6, 11915..

application and January ia, ma; sean no?. einen.'

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, 1Wmrnano S. GROVE, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Manila, Philippine Islands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pulp and Waste Removing and the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine for4 removing pulpand waste materials from a fibrous vegetable substance and for cleaning the fibers of the substance. ln other words, the invention is directed to a the fibers in a leaf or strip from the rest o the material in the leaf or strip. A machine which is particularly adaptable for obtaining manila hemp fiber from the original leaves or strips, may also be utilized for treating other fibrous substances such as sisal, maguey, pineapple leaves, or the like.

ln the construction of a machine for the cleaning of hemp fiber or the like, it is advisable that the machine be made; (a) Light and at the same time capable ot withstanding the comparatively heavy strains which are incidental to the pulp and waste removing and the liber cleaning operation: (b) so that the pulp and waste incident to said pulp and waste removing operation will drop out of or be removed trom the machine before the removed pulp and waste has a chance to collect or interfere with the machine or otherwise hinder the proper working ot its various parts: (c) so that the fibrous portions of the substance, at the end ot the pulp and waste removing and fiber cleaning operations, will be comparatively dry and tree of pulp. water and acids which may have formed a part of or which may have been in the substance at the time of the commencement of the operation; and (11') so that the machine can. to a certain extent. be comparatively easily transported from one field ot operation to another, and so that the stock. be it fibrous leaves or other work pieces` which is being treated can be readily inserted in the machine, and readily removed from the machine, without liability of injuring the operator. Such a machine has been made the basis of a pending application` Serial o. 799.864. filed b v me in the lvnitcd States lPatent @flice on November 8th. will.

rl`he machine which is made the basis of the present applicatlon also embodies all of the above characteristics. lln the last mentioned machine, however, a certain autolmaticity of the Various operating parts has been provided which was not included in the machine shown in the application above referred to.

lin the machine shown in the present application there is also embodied several improvements in the various parts which will hereinafter be described and pointed out.

The present application is to be considered in many respects a continuation otmyl former application above identified.

Reference is now made to the drawings which constitute a part of the present application. 0n these drawings there is clearly illustrated a machine which has been actually built and operated by me prior to the time ot my executing this application.

ln the drawings: Figure l is an elevation of the delivery Aend ot the machine. Fig is a side elevation ot the machine shown in Fig. l and is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 shown in said Fig. l. Fig. 3yis a plan view of the top ot the machine, showing principally the mechanism or feeding the work pieces or stock to the machine and the mechanism for automatically operating the feeding mechanism. Fig. Lt is a horizontal sectional view taken as on the line '-l--et of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. rllhis view shows in end elevation the clamps of the feeding mechanism and the ways for guiding and holding the clamps, the

sprocket of the feeding mechanism being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a side elevation ot the clamp shown in Fig. 5 and also a portion of one of the guideways or holding members `for the clamp. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of a pair of opposing stock engaging members, frequently referred to hereinafter as work engaging members, and the carriages therefor. ln this ligure there is also indicated the depending aprons tor protecting the carriage propelling mechanism while the pulp and waste is being removed trom the tibers in the substance being treated. Fig. 8 is a, view, partially in section, of the opposing stock engaging members, constituting a set ot decorticating tools or members, the oppositely disposed carriages supporting said stock engaging members, a portion ot the aprons and a portion of the chains for propelling said carriages whereby said stock engaging members will llt the work piece or stock.

.Figv it-isA a. plan view of one of the stock engaging members and its carriage. Fig. 1s a viewl of an intermittent gearing which is included as apart of the mechanism that operates the feeding mechanism whereby an intermittent movement can be imparted to. the latter. Fig. 10is an end view of the small gear of the intermittent caring. Figs. 11,12

and 13 illustrate amodi ed form of the mechanism, wherein spur gears are used instead of chains and sprockets, for automatically loperatin vthe feeding mechanism and the stock ho ding mechanism; Fig. 11 being a plan view, Fig. 12 being a vertical sectional view, and Fig. 13 being 'a side view. Fig. 14 is a View, partially in sections, showing Aopposing stoc engaging members, one of which is a brush and the other a block, carriages therefor, portions of propelling chains to which the carriages are secured, and

a y'perlorated platev forvcleaning the brush. Fi 15 is a vlew of a portion of the brush .l an 'perforated plate; this is a view looking in the .direction of the arrow 15 shown in Fig 14. Fig. 16 isga view of a portion of the brush and plate looking in the direction :of the arrow 16 shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 17

nism. Fig. 20 is a plan view of the same.

The 'machine com rises a main vframe,

- mechanism for holding the work-piece or rstock while it is being operated upon, mechanism (hereinafter referred to as ,stock engaging mechanism or work engaging mechanism, namely 18, 19 and 20) for engaging and operating upon o posite sides ofthe work piece or stock whi e the latter is held in dependin position by the holding mecha' nism, mee anism for'feeding the ywork piece or stock in position where it can be held by the` holding mechanism and for conveying the work piece or stock from the holding mechanism after the work piece or stock has been operated upon, and an' intermediate mechanism arbitrarily so-called because it is located intermediate of and is common to the mechanisms hereinafter referred to coperav tively related tothe stock engaging mechanism, the stock holding mechanism and the feeding mechanism, whereby the stock feed ing mechanism and the stock holding mech- 'y anlsm will operate in certain timed relationship with respect to the stock engaging mechanism.

The mam frame of the machme comprises the lower horizontallyand transversely extending base membersl, the upper horizontally. and transversely extending cap memhers2, and the inclined lateral braces 3. The frame also comprises four upright members 5 arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the machine. The vupright members 5 are often referred to as the main upright members. These uprightsare secured at ,the top directly to the transversely extending cap members 2, and at the bottom by means of bolts and extending ase members 1. The uprights at one side of the machine are also connected together at theirv top portions by means of the longitudinally extending spacing member 7. Theuprights in each pair are connected together at their bottom portions by the longitudinally extending spacing members 8. At the lower portion of the frame there is also provided a plurality of spacing tubes 9 and a plurality of bolts 10 for assisting in retaining the transversely extending base members 1 in the proper position relative to each other;

At the top of the machine there is provided bracing 11 which extends between the transversely extending cap members 2. The function" of this bracing. is not only to retain the transversely extending cap members 2 from moving relative to each other, but also to serve as means for properly spacing said members so that all of the uprights 5 will beproperly positioned relative to each other. {i}

loojlf.

To retain the machine rigid and erect when in the field, guy ropes or cables 12 may be employed which are connected as by means of eye bolts at or adjacent to the exvtremities of the'transversely extending cap members 2.

The stock holding mechanism is indicated byv 13. This mechanism grips the up. r end of the stock, which is a fibrous substance while the latter is depending from the grippers or clamps of the feeding mechanism and holds said stock during its treatment by and between the downwardly-moving opposing stock-engaging tools or members which are subsequently to be described morel in detail. This stock piece holding mechanism may be termed the fixed gripping mechanism and it comprises the fixed jaw 14 and a companion pivoted jaw 15. Y these jaws extend substantially the full length of the machine. The fixed jaw 14 is held in place by the brackets 16 which are sset plates 6 to thetransverselykr so" 85 asf Each of I secured to ythe main frame uprights 5 that constitute the pair of uprights at one side ofthe machine. The pivoted jaw 15 is carried by a pair of bearings 17 which are secured to the transversely extending cap Vmembers 2.

The stock engaging lmechanism comprises opposin decorticating members carried in opposite y disposed carriages. .There may mancia be several sets of opposing stock engaging I members and in Fig. 1 the sets are numbered scribed, but it will be here remarked that the number and class of opposing stock-enga ing members for operatingeupon the stoc may be varied as the num r and class are dependent upon the grade of finish desired to be imparted to the cleaned fibers. rl`he decorticating members-just referred to are in the sets of members 18 and 19 and said decorticatin members are shown in Figs. 7 8 and 9 of te drawings.

There is secured to the uprights suitable bearings for carrying the shafts 21 and 22, upon which are respectively' mounted the sprockets 23 and 24. The endless roller chains 25 engage said sprockets and serve as means for propelling the opposing stock engaging members downwardly along the stock when the latter is held by the stock holding mechanism' 13.

rllhe shafts 21, which are located in the bearings at the lower portion ot the main upright members 5, are operatively connected together as by the spur gears 26 and one of these shafts is provided with' a suitableI means tor operating the machine, as tor eX- aniple the tight driving pulley 27 and the loose pulley 28. l

The feeding mechanism comprises the endless chain 29 which runs over the sprockets 30 that are carried by shafts that are mounted in bearings which are secured in place on the ends ot the longitudinally extending angle irons 3l located at the top of the machine. These angle irons 31 are secured to the transversely extending cap members 2.

number ot equally spaced spring pressed clamps or carrying grippers 32 are connected tothe endless chain 29. rlhe function o these clamps is to engage the stock when inserted in place therein by the operator. and grip it with sutiicient torce so that the stock `will be conveyed in the proper position :for it to be seized by the stock holding mechanism and held by the latter' while being operated upon. lll`he feeding mechanism also conveys the stock :tromsaid holding mechanism otter the stock has been operated upon. The construction of these clamps will subsequentlybe described more in detail and they are clearly shown in Figs. 5 and ti.

@ne of the shafts 22 (see shaft at upper lett hand portion ot i) has secured thereto a sprocket 33 which by means ot the chain and the sprocket 35 operates a shaft 36 that in turn operates the mechanism tor opening and closing the jaws ot the "stock holding mechanism and also ltor imparting an intermittent movement to the endless chain ot the stock feeding mechanism.

'llhe movable jaw 15 of the stock holding mechanism is closed, by the cams 37, on the stock prior to the stock engaging members starting on their downward travel and is opened by the tension springs 37 after the last set of stock engaging members have performed their operation upon the work piece or stock. The springs are enabled lto retract the pivoted jaw atthis time by reason of the depressions in the cams which are then adjacent to the rollers 37, on said jaw, which are engaged by the cams. The cams 3i are operated vfrom the shaft 36 by means of thesprockets '38, the chains 39 and the sprockets 40.

The intermittent movement to the stock feeding mechanism is obtained by means of an intermediate mechanism, that is specifically a chain and gear mechanism comprising the following members which, it will be noted, includes the intermittent gear illustrated more clearly in Fig. 10 and Fig. 10, namely, the sprocket all, the chain 42, the sprocket i3, the intermittent gears tt and 45, the sprockets t6, the chain 47 and the sprocket t8. 'llhe sprockets t3 and one of the intermittent gears, viz., the large gear lr-lf, are both carried on a shaft t9 that is mounted in bearings 50 supported on plates or brackets 5l `which are secured tothe transversely extending cap members 12.

lln the intermittent caring illustrated in Figs. l0 and 10a the arge gear JA- is provided with the elevated portion 52 whose general surface is at the proper' elevation to tit the dwell or concave portion 53 of the small gear t5 `whereby the small gear -l and the feeding mechanism operated thereby will stop tor a period and be locked against movement while the large gear continues its rotation.

The carrying grippers which are connected to the endless chain ot the ceding mechanism are clearlyshown in and ti.

Each ot these carr in'IF strippers is s rovided with a pair oit yokes 5ehaving ears 55 which are connected to ears 5G that are integral with the chain link 57. Each of the grippers is'also provided with a hinge pin 58 which is pinned or riveted to the yolze 5t. There is also pinned or riveted to the hinge pin 58 one of the leaves or jaws 59 of the clamp `a'hile the other leat or ian: G0) ot the clamp can be swung on the pin whereby the jaws can be separated -trom. each other. 'these jaws are normally forced toward each other by the springtil. l`he clamps, however, can be opened by pulling down on the lever 62, thus Jforcing the jaw (SO outwardly against the pressure ot the spring til. 'lhe movement ot this jaw (il) is limited by the stop rods 63 which are positioned so as to limit the distance which the material to be operated upon can be inserted in the clamps or grippers. These members 63 serve as pri stops due to the enlargements or nubbins 64 which engage the outer-portion of the leaf orjaw60. j u

In order to guide the clamps and also in order to hold them so that they willL not swing about the chain as acenter when the jaws are being opened by means of the levers 62, a pair of guiding and holdin strips 65 are provided on o osite sides o the lower line of the chain. Ihese guiding and holding strips are provided with grooved por-- tions which receive the ears 55 and 56 that are respectively yon' the yokes of the grip ers and the links of the chain. These ears side along these grooved portions thus permitting the members 65 to operate not only as hold-l ing members but also as guides for the carrying grippers while they are moving the stock toward and from the position where it is operated upon.

The guiding and holding members 65 are supported by the depending angle irons 66 fastened to the longitudinally extending angle irons 31 of the feeding mechanism. These angle irons 66 are indicated not only in Fig. 5 but are also clearly shown in Figs.

1 and 2.

A pair of'guiding members 65 are located on the vopposite sides of the upper line of endless feeding chain. These uiding members 65 are secured tothe longitudinally exi tending angle irons 31 and are provided with grooved portions along which the ears 55 and 56 travel. The members 6'5 thus guide and hold the clamps in inverted posi# tion when the latter are being returned to the entering end portion of the machine.

. Two sets of tripping mechanisms for automatically opening the grippers as they are about to begin their travel toward the stock holding mechanism and when they are nearv the end of their travel from the stock holdling mechanism are indicated as being carried at or neatI the ends ofI one of the guide members 65. These tri ping mechanisms are each numbered 67 an are shown more indetail in Figs. 19 and 20. A description of one of these tripping mechanisms will suffice for both. In said Figs. 19 and 20 a portion of the guiding member is shown and `to the vertical exterior face of this memv ber there is secured the yoke or strap 67 which receives the vertically movable cam member 68 having the cam portion 69 arranged so that when the cam member is v locked in its lowest position by the spring 70' carrying the locklng pin or bolt 71, the cam will be inthe path of the levers or handles 6:2 of the carrying grippers whereby as said levers or handles move along in engagement with said cam portion 69 the carrying jaws will be automatically opened.

It will be noted at this point that the feeding mechanismis so timed that when the intermittent gearing causes the feeding mechanismto be stopped, the handles of the gripper will belocateddirectly below and in engagement Withsaid cam .69. It will' also be observed that oneof the grippers will be located in the proper osition to where -it held by the stock holdf support the vworkdpieee or stoc can be engaged an ing mechanism.

.After the stock has been placed between.A

seize the stock. The weight lof, the cam member is suflicient to restore the cam member to normal position with the locking pin 71 in the slot 3' when the lever or handle' t 62 movesl from engagement with the cam, or

`in other words, when the lever moves oil' from the trip.

The tripping mechanism at the'delivery end of the machine is the same as that at the entering end of the machine, but it is unlikely that the releasing mechanism comprising-the spring 70 will be utilized to any great extent to release the cam member.

, In respect to the stock holding mechanism i comprising the xed and pivoted clamping jaws 14 and 15, it lwill be noted thatthe cams 37 -for operating the pivoted jaw will make one complete revolution for each complete revolution of the sets of stock engaging members attached to the chainsv25, and that these cams are constructed 'so as to hold the jaws in; clamping position for a L short perlod prior Ato the stock engaging members startlng onv their .downward opera-l tive travel, during said downward travel,

and for a short period after the last of said noj stock engaging members have left their opv erative engagement withthe work piece or stock, and that the cam is constructed so aste-permit the jaws of the stock holding mechanism to be open during a large part of the return travel of the 'stock engaging members. The latter aii'ords time forl one iso the feeding mechanism is designated lby 30,' and these sprockets are secured to the shafts which are mounted in the bearings that are on the angles 31. A. pair of intermittent gears, the same as shown in Figs. and'10, are utilizedin this construction and designated 44 and 45 in Fig. 11. rlhe small gear ll5 is directly connected to one of the shafts carrying one of the sprockets 30 while the other yol the gears, namely 4:4, is directly connected to the shaft 107'which is driven from one of the shafts 22 by means of the train ot spur gearing comprising the gears 108, 109,110 and 111. rl-his shaft 107 also has secured thereto thecam 112 which oper- A ates the pivoted jaw 15 of the stock holding 'mechanism 13 by engagement with the arm 113 which is on said pivoted jaw. 'lhe operation, however, of the stock feeding mechanism and stock holding mechanism in thev construction just described is substantially the same as the stock feeding mechanism and the stock holding mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Y ln my previous application, above. identihed, what l termed therein jockey sprockets were 'utilized to take care of any slack which developed in the `endless chain due to wear or otherwise. 1n the construction shown in Fig. 1 the jockey sprockets have been dispensed with and instead thereof l have provided movable bearings 114 for,

the shafts 22. rlhese movable bearings 114/.- can be raised or lowered by the loosening of the nuts 115 and lby the turning-of the bolts 116 that are located in nuts which are secured to the upper set of brackets 88. The movement of these bearings 114i is permitted due to the elongated bolt receiving slots 117 and the elongated slots 118 into which the shafts 22 extend. ln case the gearing construction shown in Figs. 11 to 13 is utilized, then it will be advisable to lhave the movable bearings located at the bottom of the machine if no jockey sprockets be used.

lin order to properly space and position the sprocket wheels 2t relative to each other and to maintain them in relationship, spools 119 have been provided with ilanges 120 at each end. '.lhese spools are secured in any suitable manner as by pins or keys to the shafts upon which they are located, and the sprockets 24: are secured to the spools by means of bolts 121 which pass through the central portions of the' sprockets and the langes of the spools. The s rockets preferably have a number of teet which are a multiple of the number ot bolts that secure the sprockets to the spools and the spacing of the bolt holes in the llanges and also in the sprockets are equal. 'lhe bolt holes in the sprockets are also placed in a true radial line with the center of the teeth or else with ter in which way the sprockets are secured menor@ to the spools they will always be correct vor so that the sprockets onall spools will be in harmony and accord with each other.

The improvements herein set forth are not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as they may be embodied in-various forms and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

:l claim as my invention:

1. A fiber isolating machine comprising a main frame, a stock holding grippersupported on the upper portion of the frame, stock, feeding mechanism comprising stock carrying grippers that travel above the jaws of the holding gripper, mechanism comprising decorticating members which engage opposite sides of the stock when it is held in depending position by the holding gripper and at a time when said members are beingl moved downwardly away from the holding gripper, and mechanism operatively connecting the mechanism which comprises the opposing decorticating members, the holding gripper and the stock feeding mechanism so that prior to the opposing decorticating members being in position to operate upon the stock the feeding mechanism will convey stock between the jaws of the holding gripper and will allow the feed- 9 ing mechanism to stop prion to the holding gripper being closed and to remain stopped until the opposing decorticating members have operated upon the stock.

2. A. fiber isolating machine comprising in combination a stock holding gripper, feeding mechanism comprising a series of carrying grippers for conveying stock to and from the holding gripper, and mechanism comprising opposing decorticating members which travel away from the sto-ck holding vgripper when said members are in engagement with the stock being held by the holding gripper, and an intermediate mechanism between the stool( holding gripper and the feeding mechanism, said intermediate mechanism being constructed and arranged so that the stock holding gripper will be intermittently opened and closed and so that the feeding mechanism will intermittently move the carrying grippers along, whereby when the stock holding gripper is open the feeding mechanism will operate to position stock, which is in a carrying gripan endless chain having secured thereto a series of carrying gripper-s which are moved longitudinally of the machine, a stock holding mechanism having vjaws arranged to receive between them the stock when ed longitudinally of the machine by the feed- 

